Early childhood Teacher Finalists for Award

Early childhood Teacher an Finalists for a Sustainable Business Network Award 

The NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards, which have been running for 10 years, are the pre-eminent and longest-standing sustainability awards in New Zealand. 

They recognise and celebrate the efforts of businesses, NGOs, Government agencies, social enterprises and individuals that have demonstrated progress in sustainability and are reshaping their business models for a more sustainable future.

The finalists will attend an awards ceremony at Auckland Museum on Thursday 21st November. Winners will be announced in each category, and then an overall supreme winner will be revealed.  

Each of the 230 entries has been assessed by a panel of judges for significant environmental benefit, measurable and tangible results, innovation, awareness-raising and going the extra mile.

There are 10 award categories “Turning Trash into Treasure for Young Children” is a finalist in the Community Impact Category.

This is a project of Adam Buckingham, an author and an early childhood teacher who presents professional development workshops in New Zealand and overseas, forging links with like-minded people, on reusing solid waste materials - ideas on turning trash into treasure.

Adam has designed and made innovative equipment for young children from solid waste, using materials from the home environment and the wider world, to inspire and enrich young children’s learning through manipulating and exploring real world objects.

This project has diverted waste from landfill and linked people from the wider community to the early childhood environment, knowing that they are contributing their solid waste to be transformed into something useful.

A wider social benefit from this work has been the involvement of parents, and in particular it has encouraged a rapport with men. As encouraging more men to become involved with young children through this work results in a significant social impact.

Adam Buckingham has published the book "Turning trash into treasure for young children" which was made in New Zealand as a resource for educators, to support 'education for sustainable development' in early childhood and provides tools for teachers to engage fathers and men with early childhood centres

The book also encourages children to connect with the natural world and to nurture skills and attitudes at an early age that promote the development of environmentally responsible adults.

This project is innovative in utilizing solid waste materials for education purposes, transforming it into learning experiences to benefit young children's learning.

ENDS

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